Residents in Pendle face a longer wait to have their recycling bins collected after Pendle Borough Council voted to move collections from fortnightly to every four weeks.

From April, cardboard and paper for recycling, as well as brown bins for glass bottles, jars, cans and plastic bottles will be collected every four weeks, as the council looks to plug an annual £760,000 funding gap.

In an effort to alleviate the longer waiting times, the council is offering an optional free blue wheelie bin to anyone who’d like one for storing paper and card for four weeks.

Council leader Coun. Mohammed Iqbal described the move as “the best option” for residents after savage cuts from Lancashire County Council meant changes had to be made.

Coun. Iqbal said: “Pendle Council is having to make the changes in a bid to save around £190,000. Since 2010 we’ve had to reduce our spending by over £8m. and we have worked very hard to make savings which have the least impact on local people and local services.

Pendle Council employee Samantha Wilkinson with the blue bin

"But we’re now forced to make some significant savings on Pendle’s refuse and recycling collections.

“From April we lose Lancashire County Council’s annual subsidy of £760,000 towards our waste and recycling service, so we have had to find a new way to provide this service.

“Following a consultation where over 2,200 people gave their views, we are putting in place the changes which over half – 56% - said would be the best option for them.

“Most people told us that do not put their recycling bins or containers out fortnightly. We have gone for the option which will cause people the least disruption.

“The blue bin is completely optional and anyone who wants one can also arrange to have their green box removed for free.

“But if people want to continue recycling paper and card in their green bin or in a cardboard box or carrier bag, they can.”

The new blue bins can be ordered anytime up to Friday March 2nd and will be delivered between March 12th and 29th to anyone who has requested one.

More details about how the new service will work is on www.pendle.gov.uk/bluebin where people can also order a free blue bin online.

Roadshows, which include the chance to order a bin, are being held at:

• Asda, Colne on Thursday February 22nd from 12 noon – 6pm

• Morrisons, Nelson, on Saturday February 24th from 10am – 2pm

• Co-op Barnoldswick on Wednesday February 28th from 2pm – 6pm.

Coun. David Clegg, who leads on recycling, said: “We’re running these roadshows in February so that people can come and chat to staff about the changes and see what the new blue bins are like.

“And we’ll be delivering a new calendar explaining which bins to put out when to every home in Pendle in March.”